Tornado proof building



5, 1953 E. A. JOHNSON TORNADO PROOF BUILDING 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 18. 1948 Eugene A Johnson By gg'j yMg w Aug. 25, 1953 E. A. JOHNSON TORNADO PROOF BUILDING 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 18, 1948 Fig. 2.

r m n e V M Eugene A. Johnson WW m QM and Aug. 25, 1953 E. A. JOHNSON TORNADO PROOF BUILDING v 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 18, 1948 Inventor Eugene A Jahhson Attorneys Patented Aug. 25, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TORNADO PROOF BUILDING Eugene A. Johnson, Great Falls, Mont.

Application August 18, 1948, SerialNo. 44,843

.3 Claims.

This invention relates to a circular building in the nature of a one-story dwelling, and the primary object of the invention is to provide a building of this kind which is simple and durable in construction and which will provide a secure shelter for use in tornado swept localities.

Another object is to provide, in a building of the above kind, a cylindrical outer wall of sim ple and sturdy construction, in combination with a cylindrical foundation wall joined to the cylindrical outer wall of the building proper in an efficient manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a building of the above kind, a novel ventilator-equipped roof construction joined to the cylindrical outer wall of the building proper in an efficient manner and so as to provide no projecting eaves under which strong winds may act to cause damage.

Still another object of the invention is to provide, in a building of the above kind, a most practical arrangement of rooms, halls, and the like.

The exact nature of the present invention will become apparent from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a building constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a floor plan thereof.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the foundation frame of the roof structure.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1 and broken away, showing details of the roof structure at the ventilator.

' Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken .on line 55 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line 1-1 of Figure 1 and illustrating the roof and outer wall construction where they meet.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line 8--8 of Figure 2.

Figure 9 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the supporting brackets for the main rafters.

In erecting the present building, a cylindrical concrete foundation wall is poured upon a circular concrete footing 6, with the foundation wall projecting a short distance above the ground. At the top, the foundation wall 5 is provided with an external undercut rabbet l.

2. Anchored in and projecting upwardly frcm the top of the foundation wall 5 inwardly of the rabbet 'i' are stud bolts. 8 which pass through a circular sill 9 and have nuts threaded thereon so as to securely anchor said sill 9 upon the -upper edge of the foundation wall. A floor It, preferably of reinforced concrete, is provided so that its margin overlies the upper edge of the foun-i dation wall 5 and the sill 9.

The building proper includes an outer cylindrical wall composed of a plurality of vertical wooden staves l i set in edge to edge relation andheld in circular formation by means of hooprods l2 which completely encompass the staves near the top and bottom of such cylindrical wall, and by external binding rods l2 extending around the cylindrical wall from opposite sides of the front doorway 13 to opposite sides of the rear doorway I4 (Figures 1 and 2), and which are anchored at their ends to suitable standards 45 rigidly erected .at opposite sides of said door ways. The rods I'Z' are located intermediate the top and bottom of the cylindrical outer wall on a level just below the bottoms of the-window openings It. The hoop rods t1 and binding rod I2 are covered by molding strips H whichare nailed to the staves 'II and have-grooves to receive said hoop and binding rods as shown clearly in Figures 5 and '7. At their lower ends, the staves H are formed with semi-devetailtem nons it which fit and are engaged in the-rabbets 'I'. Also, the staves H are nailed and therebyanchored' to the sill 9 as at 19, and it will be apparent that the construction insures that the cir cular wall of the building is effectively tied down to the foundation wall.

The floor [I] may have a covering of tile or heavy linoleum as at 20. Secured-across the inner sides of the staves II are spaced nailing strips 21 to which is fastened metal lathjng 22 for anchoring the interior plaster finish '23 of the outer cylindrical wall. Also, a suitable baseboard 24 may be provided in the usual way. Suitable doors 25 and 26 are provided for the front door opening I3 and the rear door opening 14 that-are left in the .outer wall, and suitable windows '21 are fitted in the window openings 1 6 which are cut in the outer wall. Folding shutters 23' are p,referably provided for the windows.

The roof structure includes afoundation frame composed of main arched rafters 29. extending radially of the frame at ninety degree intervals and joined at the center of the roof. Relatively short bowed braces 39 are provided between the main rafters near the center of the roof, andintermediate the center and the outer edge of the roof the main rafters are connected by bowed cross rafters 3| that also act as braces. In each quadrant of the foundation frame of the roof there is provided a series of parallel secondary arched rafters 32 that are disposed parallel to each other and to the radial center line of the quadrant. Securely fastened to the inner sides of the staves I 1 near the upper ends of the latter are purline beams or plates 33' which are connected to the main rafters 29. The outer ends of the secondary rafters 32 may be recessed in these purline beams or plate 33 and may be nailed or otherwise securely fastened to the latter. The main rafters 29 terminate at the inner side of the outer cylindrical wall, and there is no eave pro--- jecting outwardly beyond said outer cylindrical wall under which strong winds may act to cause damage. the upper ends of adjacent staves l I are stirruplike supporting brackets 33, and the outer ends of the main rafters 29 are seated and secured in these brackets to effectively support said main rafters at their outer ends. Each bracket 33' includes a U-shaped strap metal member apertured at a and having angular end extensions 33a aperturedat b, the apertures being adapted to receive fastening bolts 331), or the like. At the center, or within the braces 30, the rOOf is left open to provide a ventilator opening over which is mounted a ventilator hood 34 by means of suitable brackets 35 fastened to the braces 30. It will be noted that the braces 30 extend above the rafters so as to provide a coping around the ventilator opening. This provides for free entrance or exit. of air through the ventilator while excluding rain and the like. Sheathing 36 is laid and secured upon the rafters and provided with a suitable covering 31 which is turned up at the outer sides of the braces 30 as shown at 38 in Figure 4. Metal flashing 39 is placed over the upper edges of the braces 39 and the adjacent upturned edge of the covering 31. Metal flashing 40 is also provided over the outer edge of the covering 31 and sheathing 36 where the roof joins with the outer cylindrical wall of the building. The roof is preferably arched as at 4| over the windows and doors so as to direct rain and the like laterally beyond the sides of said windows and doors before it leaves the edge of the roof. Nailing strips 42 are secured on the undersides of the rafters, and metal lathing 43 is attached to these nailing strips to receive and anchor the inner plaster finishing coat 44 of the ceiling.

As shown in Figure 2, the interior of the building is suitably partitioned as at 45 so that substantially the front half of the building is used to provide a large living room 46 and a relatively smaller front bedroom 41 disposed side by side, and so that the rear half of the building provides a kitchen 48 behind the living room, a utility room 49 behind the kitchen, a rear bedroom 50 behind the'front bedroom 41, a bathroom 5| between the utility room and the rear portion of the rear bedroom, a transverse hall 52 connecting the kitchen and rear bedroom and communicating with the living room and front bedroom through adjacent doorways 53 and 54 at the back of the latter rooms, and a longitudinal hall 5 connecting the transverse hall 52 with the bathroom. A suitable closet is preferably constructed at one side of the hall 55 as at 56, and additional closets 51 and 58 are constructed in the front bedroomv with doorways leading .respectively from the closet 51 to said front bed- Securely fastened to and hooked over room and from the closet 58 to the rear bedroom. In this way, the rooms are most conveniently located with respect to each other and are most readily accessible through short halls somewhat centrally located with respect to the building.

Adjustable tie rods 59 pass through the main rafters 29 and the partitions 45 and are anchored in the floor 20 to connect the roof to the floor and prevent the suction effect of tornadoes from detaching the roof. As shown in Figure 8, each tie rod 59 includes short end sections 60 and BI and a long intermediate section 62 connected by turnbuckles 63 and 64. The section 60 has a head 55 which bites into the rafter, and the section 6| has a lateral end 66 embedded in the floor. a Due to the circular form of the building in plan,

the slightly domed form of the roof, and the duradesirable one-story dwelling is provided that affords a secure shelter for use in a tornado swept locality. The building may be erected rather quickly and cheaply and presents a sightly appearance.

From the foregoing description, it is believed that the construction and advantages of the present invention will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art. Minor structural changes are contemplated, such as fairly fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

The shutters keep debris from breaking the window panes when closed during a Windstorm. The roof arches 4| extend beyond the shutters, and one arch will serve for both the front door and the living room window.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new 1s:

1. In combination with a cylindrical foundation wall projecting a short distance above the ground and formed at the top with an external undercut rabbet, a circular building including a circular sill anchored upon the upper edge of said foundation wall, an outer cylindrical wall composed of a plurality of contiguous vertical staves abutting against and directly anchored near their lower ends to the sills, said staves being provided at their lower ends with tennons fitting and seated in said rabbet of the foundation wall, a floor supported at its edge on the edge of the foundation wall and the sill, and hoops surrounding the cylindrical outer wall adjacent the top and bottom of the latter and retaining the staves in circular formation.

2. In combination with a cylindrical foundation wall formed at the top with an external undercut rabbet, a circular building including a circular sill anchored upon the upper edge of said foundation wall, an outer cylindrical wall composed of a plurality of contiguous vertical staves abutting against and directly anchored at their lower ends to the sill, said staves being provided at their lower ends with tennons fitting and seated in said rabbet of the foundation wall, a floor supported at its edge on the edge of the foundation wall and sill, and hoops surrounding the cylindrical outer wall adjacent the top and bottom of the latter and retaining the staves in circular formation. 7

3. The combination according to claim 2, and a circular roof of the same diameter as the outer side of said wall overlapping the upper edge of th; wall with its outer edge flush with said outer s1 e.

EUGENE A. JOHNSON.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Dela-hunt Dec. 22, 1896 McNamee et a1 Nov. 14, 1905 Orr Dec. 19, 1911 Ames Apr. 21, 1914 Leonard Oct. 31, 1916 DErville Jan. 9, 1923 Ott-osson- Elliot et a1 Mar. 11, 1924 Number 6 Name Date Thorne Mar. 10, 1925 Bemis June 18, 1929 Willson Oct. 25, 1932 Henkensiefken Mar. 7, 1933 Levy Jan. 11, 1938 Buck Jan. 18, 1938 Kuppers Jan. 3, 1939 Beckius July 18, 1939 Sherman Nov. 30, 1943 

